VDOE Announces Mathematics & Science Partnership Grants

Grants Fund STEM-Related In-Service Training for 935 Teachers

The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is awarding grants totaling more than $2.5 million to 11 partnerships between school divisions, colleges and universities to increase content knowledge and sharpen classroom skills of teachers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics – subject areas known collectively as “STEM.”

The awards were made through VDOE’s Mathematics and Science Partnership grant competition, which was announced last September. School divisions and institutions of higher education were encouraged to submit proposals to create partnerships that would provide professional development to teachers. Focus of the professional development proposals included supporting the implementation of the 2009 Mathematics Standards of Learning and the Mathematics Performance Expectations, developed as part of Virginia’s College-and-Career-Readiness Initiative; implementation of 2010 Science Standards of Learning; and integrated STEM related to the engineering design process, scientific methodology, mathematical problem solving and engineering applications.

Secondary Mathematics Professional Development Center – $221,953 for Radford University; Virginia Commonwealth University, 31 school divisions — Bedford County, Botetourt County, Buchanan County, Carroll County, Chesterfield County, Colonial Heights, Craig County, Floyd County, Franklin County, Giles County, Grayson County, Hanover County, Henrico County, Henry County, King & Queen County, King William County, Montgomery County, Newport News, Norton, Patrick County, Pittsylvania County, Powhatan County, Pulaski County, Radford, Richmond, Roanoke, Roanoke County, Salem, Washington County, Wise County and Wythe County — and two schools —- the Piedmont Governor’s School for Mathematics Science & Technology and St. Catherine’s School — to serve 130 teachers.

–submitted by Julie Grimes VDOE